Bleacher Report - Articles by Tommy

Introducing The Next College Basketball Star: Elliot Williams

Tommy — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:57:11 -0500

After spending the entire year riding the bench as a freshmen, a star has emerged and become eminent in the deep roster of the Duke Blue Devils.

Enter Elliot Williams: Dunk Contest winner, 5-star recruit, and absolute athlete. Playing for the AAU team, "M33M", he not only stunned scouts with his athleticism and defensive ability, he showed that he was the type of player you only see come through the college level once every few years.

Only a few Duke players have had the upside that Elliot Williams has possessed; Johnny Dawkins being the prime example. Elliot Williams is a legitimate superstar—there is absolutely no talent that he does not have at a "professional" level.

It's not very often that Coach K thinks about benching one of his main players. A substitution prior to the season (i.e. replacing Greg Paulus with Nolan Smith), is something that does not happen very often under the reign of Mike Krzyzewski. It was hard enough for him to replace a senior with a sophomore. But it takes an incredible amount of talent and determination from a freshmen to start in arguably the biggest game of the season.

Whether Elliot Williams showed the all-time great coach that he was ready to play more than others can only be told by Mike Krzyzewski. However, the readiness that he may have displayed shows on the court.

Elliot Williams went from being a bench-warmer who came into games during blowouts to someone who may have very well been responsible for Duke's huge victory against Wake Forest.

Defense win championships. And Elliot Williams showed that he can stop even the best offensive players in college basketball.

It has been a long time since Duke had a speedy defender to the quality of Elliot Williams. You have to go back to the Jay Williams days to really see someone who could single-handedly win games through defense.

Turnovers and points off of turnovers are two of the most important statistical categories for a team to worry about. With Elliot Williams, Duke will absolutely dominate.

With Elliot Williams in the game, Duke managed to force 20 turnovers from Wake Forest. Williams had four steals, and denied Jeff Teague from many big opportunities.

With one important game for Duke, Elliot Williams solidified his starting spot for the next four years of Duke Basketball.

Welcome to the beginning of being a star, Elliot Williams.

Baseball's Hero, No More: Alex Rodriguez Used Steroids

Tommy — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 14:39:39 -0500

Alex Rodriguez was always the clean guy.

Baseball has been in a slump; the greatest of the players have been proven to be using steroids.

When Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's record, an asterisk was permanently imprinted in the record books. Nobody thought that Bonds deserved the incredible title of Home Run King.

Right when Bonds broke it, fans of baseball worldwide turned to Alex Rodriguez.

It didn't matter what team the baseball fan followed, or how much pure hatred the fan gave towards Alex Rodriguez. There was always an amount of respect. A baseball fan showed disinterest regarding his team’s rivalry when it came to Alex Rodriguez.

He was always that guy.

"A-Rod" was the one who was clean.

Baseball fans looked to him to save baseball from a tainted record.

Now, baseball fans have to find another one.

There was hope that Alex Rodriguez, who until today was regarded as a clean player, would break the Home Run record of Barry Bonds, and set baseball straight.

Once again, the game of baseball has epically disappointed everyone involved.

Baseball's hero, baseball's star, tested positive for steroids in 2003. SI broke the news and within minutes it was news around the world.

With the likely next home run king as another proven steroid user, there are not many places a dedicated baseball fan can look to for help.

Baseball has hit a brick wall, and one that will not be penetrated for many years to come.

A bad reputation that, up until today, appeared to be diminishing will be reinstated and forever imprinted on the endlessly questioned Major League Baseball.

It will be a long time until a real hero emerges.

One that can be looked up to, and one that can be regarded as a true baseball player. One that doesn't have to cheat to play the game of baseball.

Baseball is a game and there is absolutely no reason the cheat.

Every single person, from a minor leaguer who will never see the Major Leagues, to baseball's biggest star, is responsible for establishing a good reputation for the game of baseball.

And that reputation is terrible.

Alex Rodriguez was the hope for baseball.

Now, the game of baseball is looking at a downward slope that is unlikely to turn uphill for a long time.

Breaking News: Yankees Sign Mark Teixeira

Tommy — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:10:46 -0500

The New York Yankees have struck again.

Mark Teixeira has agreed to an 8 year, $180 Million deal with the New York Yankees. Just this morning, it seemed to be a two-team race between the Red Sox and the Nationals. However, the Yankees pulled out of this battle among two other teams and made their team even more powerful.

The Teixeira signing marks now arguably the greatest offseason by any Major League Baseball team ever. After they signed two top pitchers, AJ Burnett and CC Sabathia, the Yankees have now signed the number one hitter on the free agent market.

This deal makes the Yankees a strong, competetive team. Now with Teixeira, they are going to be a powerful offensive force.

Now, if the Manny Ramirez signing rumor is true, the Yankees will be one of the greatest offensive teams of all time. Now, I still don't see that happening, just with the history with Manny and the Yankees, but, anything is a possibility.

This was an incredibly pulled off victory by the Yankees in one of the biggest free agent battles in the last 5 years. Brian Cashman never ceases to amaze me.

New York Mets: The 5 Best Moves Since 2005

Tommy — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:06:54 -0500

Since 2005, the New York Mets have gone from a sub-.500 team to one of the elite teams in Major League Baseball. This has been thanks to some incredible trades and signings pulled off by the legendary Omar Minaya. From when it all began, the Pedro Martinez signing, to the latest acquisitions, Omar Minaya has dominated the free agent and trade market ever since he took charge of the New York Mets. Note: JJ Putz and Francisco Rodriguez are not part of this list due to the fact that they have not played a game yet for the New York Mets.

Begin Slideshow

The Duke Blue Devils Bring Themselves Down

Tommy — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:24:07 -0500

The Duke Blue Devils have one of the most talented teams in college basketball. There is no getting around that. However, the team is plagued by stupid mistakes, careless playing, and too much arrogance going up against bad teams.

On Saturday, Duke played a team that was supposed to be as good as them, Xavier, but Duke obliterated them, tearing them to shreds and exploiting their weaknesses.

However, a few weeks ago, Duke shot under 30 percent from the field and looked undeserving to be ranked against an amateur and impotent team, Michigan.

Duke has some likely NBA role players, like Kyle Singler, Brian Zoubek, and Jon Scheyer, as well as a certain future NBA star, Gerald Henderson. When playing to their best abilities, the Blue Devils of Duke University play belligerent basketball and make the best possible opponents look like they have never played basketball, just like the Xavier game.

Why does Duke sometimes turn into a helpless team? Each and every player is responsible.

In big games, ones that mean the most, played against ranked opponents, Duke prepares for war.

However, Duke has the most trouble playing against the powerless unranked opponents who would never be given the light of the day by college basketball spectators. This is because the players approach the teams with arrogance, feeling that they have already won the game before it has started. This slight arrogance is what will bring the team down if they get eliminated early once again in the tournament.

The 2007 game against Virginia Commonwealth University was a great example of this. Duke played carelessly and let the VCU Rams get away with dirty play.

So what does Duke need to do to solve their problem of getting beaten by bad teams? They need to play dirty back to any teams that are playing dirty against them, and approach each and every game the same: It is anybody's game.

DeMarcus Nelson: Reborn

Tommy — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:18:36 -0500

A few months ago, as a die hard Duke Blue Devil fan, I found myself questioning whether or not DeMarcus Nelson was worthy of a starting position in the NCAA Tournament. The senior and leader on the team, the one who'd seen it all—does he deserve to be playing over all these other talented players?

Now let's fast forward ourselves a little bit, to present day. The absolute impossible happened. Was DeMarcus Nelson, the guy who while in his senior year as the captain of one of the top NCAA College Basketball teams in the country, Duke, threw up bricks at the foul line, couldn't handle the ball, and always tried to do too much in big situations, seriously be starting at the professional level?

Well, to my surprise, the answer to that was yes.

And he hasn't done too poorly either. DeMarcus Nelson is averaging almost six points per game, 1.7 rebounds per game, as well as 2.3 assists, playing a position, point guard, that he is new to.

Obviously, they aren't all-star stats, but far above the expectations for the man that is filling in as a replacement for an injured point guard as well as the former Warriors star, Baron Davis, who was lost this off-season to the Clippers.

Although the Warriors haven't been great, starting off with a 1-3 record, Nelson has shown that he can handle the NBA level: Something that most recruiters were doubting just a few months ago.

DeMarcus Nelson has gone through a change. A change that will turn his whole life around. Nelson can now establish himself as a solid NBA player, and can look for a long and balanced career in the NBA.

Back in March, in Duke's last game, Nelson put up one of the most desperate and poor efforts a senior leader could have ever put up. Nelson, all by himself, brought the Duke Blue Devils down in the Sweet 16.

He was taking shots he shouldn't have even thought about, turning the ball over left and right, and just looking out of sync. From that moment on, I told myself there was no way that he could make it to the NBA.

It's amazing how things change. If you asked anybody a few months ago, any spectator who watched a Duke basketball game last season, if DeMarcus Nelson had what it took to be in the NBA, almost every single one of them would have said no. Even the biggest fans of Nelson.

Well fans, it looks like Nelson went out with a goal to change that.

Joe McEwing: A Look At the Classic New York Met

Tommy — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 05:38:30 -0400

NOTE: This will be the first article of a series of many showing Mets players who were fan favorites and team leaders.

From 2000 to 2004, Joe McEwing was the man who the New York Mets relied on—the clutch pinch hitter, the superb backup, the man who could play any position.

They called him "Super Joe".

McEwing wasn't an all-star. He was barely even good enough to be a starter. However, Joe McEwing was the player who got the hit and tied the game, fired up the team, and won games. He filled in for injured players, and was always the fan favorite.

He may have finished his career hitting .251, but he was much more valuable than that. There are some qualities in baseball players that aren't shown by statistics, but have incredible impacts on the teams.

Currently, he is the hitting coach for the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, and is working his way towards being on the staff of a major league baseball team. Joe McEwing would make an excellent coach if he carried on his belligerent attitude from his playing days.

McEwing will always be remembered by Mets fans, and remains a fan favorite at Shea Stadium.

For more information on Joe McEwing, check Baseball Reference or Wikipedia.

MLB Rumors: Are The Yankees and Mets Negotiating a Trade?

Tommy — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:30:10 -0400

According to Frank Russo of New York Baseball Digest, as well as Was Watching, the star center fielder of the New York Mets, Carlos Beltran, will be playing in New York next season—but on which team?

The Mets, as Ted Berg of MetsBlog confirms, could be taking calls about Carlos Beltran this offseason, and one possible trade could have Carlos Beltran playing in pinstripes.

The rumored trade is one that doesn't make much sense for the New York Mets. According to Frank Russo,

“Now, this is an interesting trade I heard: A Yankee trade between the Yankees and the Mets, think about this. Robbie Cano, another member of the bullpen—either Veres and/or Bruney, Kennedy and possibly another one of the prospects from Scranton-Wilkes Barre or below, to the Mets for Carlos Beltran."

As a New York Mets fan who has constantly thrown his anger towards Carlos Beltran, I still see this trade as a stupid one. Carlos Beltran is one of the main reasons for any success we have, not for the lack thereof.

Although this trade could relieve our bullpen somewhat, there are many more possibilities that wouldn't take away one of our best hitters. Robinson Cano is decent at best (obviously he would be an improvement for the Mets over Castillo, but still...), and Ian Kennedy has yet to prove he has what it takes at the major-league level.

Hopefully, this is just a rumor. However, if this does happen, know that I will never forgive Omar Minaya for making a trade like this.

The 2009 New York Mets: Bigger and Better? Or Changed With The Same Result?

Tommy — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:09:56 -0400

It's now been three years in a row that the Mets have blown their chance to do something big, and been marked chokers, under-performers, or whatever other insult the media can dig up.

After the 2006 NLCS, Mets fans were happy with the big improvement from the last five years, but disappointed knowing that the Mets had the series won easily and blew pretty much every game they lost. However, both the Mets and their fans had high hopes going into 2007.

In 2007, more big players came in, and the Mets were once again, identically like the year before, predicted to win the World Series. Once again, the Mets blew a season in which they should have gone far. Mets fans were starting to lose hope—The old players who had done well in 2006 were fading away because of old age, and the young players were getting older.

The Mets had a seven game lead in the National League East division, and ended up blowing the lead on the final game, with their "ace" going less than an inning and knocking the Mets out of the playoffs before the second inning.

In 2008, Omar Minaya and the New York Mets made an explosive move, signing Johan Santana. Finally, this was the year to get excited about. Mets fans were positive this year was destiny. However, the Mets got off to a rocky and vigorous start, and halfway through the year, were under .500. Willie Randolph was fired.

Interim manager Jerry Manuel came in from the fiery bench coach to the pugnacious and aggressive manager that was going to put the Mets back in to place. It happened, and the Mets found themselves with a lead in the NL East going in to the final week. Once again, the Mets let their fans down.

Again, for the second year in a row, the final game was the game that would decide the season, and again, it was to be played against the Marlins—the team that loved to hurt the Mets.

The Mets came out and threw Oliver Perez, who was brilliant for his whole start. Then, it came to the bullpen. Joe Smith, Scott Schoenweis, and Luis Ayala all gave up runs that eventually blew it for the Mets. Just like that, the season was over.

Now, Mets fans are calling for change. The Mets need to get rid of their old players, and sign some big players. Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel just both recently got contract extensions, and Carlos Delgado is near signing. The two New York teams are in a bidding war for CC Sabathia, and many other big name players, such as Francisco Rodriguez are in the mix.

Here is an ultimate 2009 Mets Opening Day Team:

Starters

C - Brian Schneider - Although he didn't have the best year this year, I'm confident he'll have a good bounce back season. He is also a great defensive catcher and that's mostly what teams should look at for catchers.

1B - Carlos Delgado - It's impossible to not want Delgado back after this season. He was great in the clutch, got the whole crowd going, and got an MVP chant after every home run all of September. Unless there is something the Mets see in him that shows he won't have a good season next year, I don't see why not.

2B - Daniel Murphy - Murphy showed this year as a rookie that he can do anything at anytime. He ended the year hitting over .300, and was one of the few young players who had clutch hits every opportunity. He's been an infielder his whole life, so putting him at second base wouldn't be a hard adjustment for him.

3B - David Wright - Call him a choker, a loser, whatever you want. David Wright is a great baseball player and the face of the New York Mets no matter what. He puts up great numbers every year, and is still young—he will, I guarantee you, become a clutch player in September and October.

SS - Jose Reyes - Although he is sometimes annoying, very immature, and quiet in September, he's an incredible ballplayer. He will not be leaving New York anytime soon.

LF - Eric Byrnes - After a bad performance in 2008, Byrnes is on the Diamondbacks trading block because Arizona wants to lower their salary. It's already been rumored that they'd be interested in Castillo for Byrnes, which in my opinion would be a steal of a trade for the Mets. He'd be a perfect fit in New York, and a key asset for our team.

CF - Carlos Beltran - He may be quiet and have a lack of leadership, but he had many clutch hits for the Mets in 2008 and is one of the best fielding outfielders in baseball. It would be a horrible mistake not to bring him back.

RF - Fernando Martinez - The biggest prospect for the New York Mets should be ready to help open up Citi Field for the New York Mets in 2009. He has been well groomed in the minors, and has all the talents to be a star in the big leagues.

Bench

Infielder - Ramon Martinez - Ramon earned himself a spot on the roster in September of 2008, providing a clutch hit almost every time he came up to bat. Although he is old, he is a good bat to have.

Infielder/Outfielder - Fernando Tatis - Fernando Tatis surprised pretty much everyone and was one of the most clutch players in baseball until he got hurt. He hadn't played in almost 10 years, but decided to make a comeback, and make the best of it.

If he decides to come back, he'll be a great player on the Mets bench, and someone who will hit eighth and nineth inning pinch hit home runs. Also, he will be a good player to have just in case Fernando Martinez doesn't work out.

Backup Catcher - Ramon Castro - Castro will have another Ramon Castro year—he'll hit .250 - .270, get five to 10 monster home runs, and have a few injuries throughout the year. However, he's a great backup catcher, and could be starting on many Major League teams.

Outfielder - Endy Chavez - Chavez has had two of the best catches in Mets history, and despite a lack of a great bat, is a Met who will always be remembered as a great.

Infielder/Outfielder - Nick Evans - Evans had a pretty solid 2008 season, and unless he does not produce, should be on the team the whole 2009 season.

Starting Pitching

1. Johan Santana - Santana was absolutely incredible for the Mets. He did everything he could to get the Mets into the playoffs, and even played through an injury that nobody knew about. He would have had at least 20 wins if the Mets bullpen hadn't blown so many games of his, and will definitely be the number one pitcher next year, even if CC Sabathia is signed.

2. CC Sabathia - This guy is in every single Mets fan's dreams. The idea of having him as the second guy in a rotation gives every Mets fan the chills. If he could be the second guy in the rotation, and have a season like he had this year, the Mets could be World Series contenders.

3. John Maine - Ever since he came to the Mets in the Kris Benson trade, he's been a dominant and clutch pitcher. He'll be back in 2009, hopefully injury-free.

4. Derek Lowe - A clutch and winning pitcher, if the Mets could sign him, they would definitely be solidifying the pitching rotation.

5. Mike Pelfrey- After an awful 2007 season, Pelfrey finally proved Mets fans that he can be a great pitcher in the major leagues. Having him as the No.5 starter would make the Mets pitching rotation incredible. Although a lot of Mets fans would miss Oliver Perez, Pelfrey is more consistent, and more valuable at this point than Perez, who will be asking for way too much money this off season.

Bullpen

Closer- Brian Fuentes - Another Free Agent this season, having him as a setup man would make the bullpen incredible. He's a great reliever, and could close if anything happened to Rodriguez.

Middle Relief - Brian Stokes - Stokes was great in relief this season for the Mets, and should be a good middle reliever for the Mets.

Middle Relief - Bobby Parnell - Parnell came up as one of the Mets top pitching prospects, and definitely showed the Mets why. He was solid coming out of the bullpen, and has great potential with an amazing fastball.

Middle Relief - Joe Smith - Since 2006, Smith has mesmerized his opponents with his side-arm delivery and great slider. He will have another solid season coming in in tough situations with runners on base, and getting many holds.

Middle Relief - Aaron Heilman - Give him a shot in 2009, he may turn it around and put up what he used to have.

Lefty Specialist - Pedro Feliciano - Feliciano gets out lefties, and that's what he does. He should only be used to face lefties, because when he matches up against righties, things usually go badly.

Long Reliever - Jon Niese - Although the Mets would love to give him a better roll, this is pretty much the best they can give him if they do sign Derek Lowe. If they don't sign Derek Lowe, he will probably be the fifth starter. However, at the Long Reliever position, Niese will probably be very successful.

If these moves are made, the Mets have a very good chance at being one of the top teams in baseball. The most important move is signing CC Sabathia - because with a 1-2 rotation like that, the Mets could be indestructible.

A lot of Mets fans want Manny Ramirez to be signed, but with his attitude and age, he is not really the type of guy that the Mets really need. I don't think he'd have a very good influence on Jose Reyes, who needs to learn how to grow up, not be a self-centered lunatic. I'd be happy with the Mets signing him, but getting Sabathia should definitely be first.

I'm looking forward to seeing what moves the Mets make, and what players they pass on. I'm confident going into the Citi Field era and I think the 2009 Mets will be bigger and better than the old teams.

JJ Redick: Just Give Him The Chance

Tommy — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:33:26 -0400

JJ Redick. The greatest shooter in college basketball history.

"He's a great shooter, maybe the best I've ever seen in my life." – Georgia Tech forward Anthony McHenry.

JJ Redick is one of the hardest workers in basketball.

He consistently improves his shot every day.

What is his reward? Nothing.

When he graduated Duke University, he left college basketball behind with many records —Most points scored in ACC history, highest free-throw percentage in ACC history, most consecutive free throws made in ACC history, most points in one season by a Duke player, the most three pointers in NCAA history, as well as most points in ACC Tournament history.

He won the Rupp National Player of the Year award twice, and the Wooden and Naismith awards once (senior year).

He came into the NBA with high expectations. Drafted 11th by the Orlando Magic, many thought he'd see immediate playing time. However, since being drafted, he has only played in 76 games and has not started in one of them.

It's not like he hasn't produced.

When he comes in, he produces. However, it's the fact that he's never given the chance to play. Averaging 11.8 Minutes Per Game in his career, he also averages 5.2 Points Per game.

If Van Gundy even played him 25 minutes per game, he'd be looking at scoring 12-13 points per game, as a perfect NBA swing man: someone you don't necessarily have to start, but someone you put in as the 6th or 7th man to score some immediate points

If the Magic don't give him his shot this year, he needs to be traded.

It's just not fair.

Although on his blog, he states that it doesn't bother him, you know it's getting to his head.

Why wouldn't it be?

He came from being the most feared shooter in college basketball to some guy who comes in when his team is up or down 40 points.

I'm not saying he can or will be a star in the NBA, but I am saying that he has the potential to be a key bench player or even starter on a successful team. He has what it takes.

He just needs the chance.

Tommy's NFL Picks: Week 2

Tommy — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 05:17:53 -0400

I'm back with the 2nd edition of Tommy's Picks. This week there will be more features as well as more analysis. Last week, I went 11-5. Also, If you would like to join our "league" for picks, please post your picks as a comment and we will count up your picks by Wednesday or Thursday.

First off, I'd just like to wish Vince Young luck with recovering from what Titans fans gave him the last year.

Although I'm a strong believer in booing the people that disappoint me, after reading this story I will be thinking twice before booing. I think all players should be giben the benefit of the doubt, and never be booed before they do something, only after they've disappointed you. I personally believe that Vince Young is going to continue to be a borderline player and never be a star in the NFL, however that's no reason to go out and try to kill himself.

Now, onto the review of last week.

It was a week that fooled many, let down fans, and gave fans of bad teams senses of hope. Tom Brady went down for the season, Brett Favre let nobody down, and the Colts lost. The Giants, Eagles, and Cowboys all won, confirming the predictions of what will be one of the best division races in football history.

Week 1 Players of the Week: Willie Parker & Aaron Rodgers

Here are my picks for week two of NFL Football (with my picks bolded):

Away Home

Bears Panthers

Titans Bengals

Packers Lions

Bills Jaguars

Raiders Chiefs

Colts Vikings

Giants Rams

Saints Redskins

49ers Seahawks

Falcons Buccaneers

Dolphins Cardinals

Chargers Broncos

Patriots Jets

Steelers Browns

Eagles Cowboys

Ravens Texans

Game of the week: Patriots @ Jets

1 Week ago, I would have never thought I'd EVER pick the Jets to beat the Patriots. However, that's all changed. The Jets are now the team to beat in the AFC East, and their solid defense along with their now dominant offense should take over the Patriots and the AFC East.

Happy Picking!

Tommy's NFL Picks: Week 1

Tommy — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:14:04 -0400

Hello and welcome to the first edition of Tommy's Picks. Each Thursday (unless games are being played on Thursday), I will release my picks for the week, recap the week before, as well as give the award for player of the week. Since this is Week One, I can't recap last week, so I'll just be giving my picks.

Warning: My picks were so incredibly inaccurately done last year that I came in second to last place in a Yahoo! Public league. Until I prove myself, I beg of you guys to not take my picks and use them, unless you really want to lose.

I will be bolding the team that I predict to win each week. This does not include point spreads, so please take notice of that.

Week One Picks

Away Home

Giants Redskins

Lions Falcons

Seahawks Bills

Jaguars Titans

Jets Dolphins

Chiefs Patriots

Bucs Saints

Rams Eagles

Texans Steelers

Bengals Ravens

Panthers Chargers

Cardinals 49ers

Cowboys Browns

Bears Colts

Vikings Packers

Broncos Raiders

Summary: I tried to make the most accurate picks I can, while adding a few upsets. Hopefully this strategy will work out.

2008 Record: 0-0

The Keys To a First-Place Fantasy Football Team

Tommy — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:51:22 -0400

It can be a 10-team league, 16-team league, six-team league, or a 40-team league, and no matter what, the secrets to a good fantasy draft remain locked away. You must be able to determine where these secrets may lie.

It can be a head-to-head matchup league, or a rotisserie league, and no matter what, you need to dominate the draft in order to dominate the league.

In this short fantasy football "guide," I will attempt to bring the secret formula of a successful draft day to you. I will list the top 10 players at QB, WR, and RB, and the top five for tight ends.

I will raise eyebrows, make fans mad, but most of all, provide the key to getting a good, solid, over .500 fantasy football team.

Terminology

Here are some terms I will use:

Sure Thing Pick: Someone that I guarantee, if injury free, will give you an amazing season. Money-Back guaranteed.

Probable: Someone that I will not guarantee to give you an incredible year, but I do have good thoughts about. A Probable may be ranked above a sure thing.

A Little Gamble: He may have had a great year last year, but I'm not so sure he's going to be great this year. Beware, there's a good chance you'll be shocked at some of my "gamble" choices. I'll be sure to explain why the person is a gamble pick.

Don't Overpay: There can be many explanations for a "Don't Overpay" label. His stats might look better on paper than he actually is, he could be injury-prone, he has had/may have off-field problems in the future, that may lead to him under-performing on the field, and many others.

OR: If you thought I meant Operating Room, guess again. OR is overrated. It's hard for me to give this label out to players, but beware, it will be thrown out there.

Question: Which is a better label, "Don't Overpay" or "A Little Gamble"?

Answer: It's different in different situations. To fully get the meaning of what I'm saying, don't just read the label, but read my explanation. For the most part, "A Little Gamble" will be a better choice than "Don't Overpay", but it's not the case all the time.

Quarterbacks

QBs are always must-haves. A good fantasy player will always find a top five quarterback on his/her team after the second round at the latest. As someone who has succeeded in fantasy football the past few years, I strongly recommend that at least two of the players found on this list wind up on your team.

Here are the top 10 quarterbacks.

1) Tom Brady, Patriots (Sure Thing Pick) - It would be an abomination to pass up on Tom Brady, if he was available after two picks. Although I believe that LaDanian Tomlinson is a sure-thing pick, more so than Brady, I wouldn't call you dumb if you don't want to give up your chance of getting one of the greatest QBs ever on your fantasy team.

2) Tony Romo, Cowboys (Probable) - Although I only gave Romo a "probable" ranking, I do believe that, if he does what he can do, he will be the best QB in football. With some great receivers (see Owens, Terrell), teammates who love him so much that they will cry when his name is mentioned (see Owens, Terrell), and a likely available player middle-to-late in the first round, you can't go wrong drafting Romo as your No.1 pick.

3) Peyton Manning, Colts (A Little Gamble) - Yes, I gave Peyton Manning the "A Little Gamble" tag, not because I hate him, not because I'm a Giants fan and like his brother better than him, but because he has a bad knee, as well as a now-injury-prone Marvin Harrison.

I would not touch him until the sixth or seventh pick in a draft; however, I know that a lot of you in here will draft him over Tony Romo and even possibly Tom Brady. If you do, I don't blame you. Peyton Manning is one of the best QBs ever, and he deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt.

However, when I'm being totally serious, and put all previous year's thoughts aside: He is not going to be the same Peyton Manning in the beginning of the season because of his knee injury, and his go-to guy, Marvin Harrison, will likely miss a few games of the season for one reason or another.

4) Drew Brees, Saints (Probable) - After an incredibly disappointing start to a fantasy season, where many fantasy players (like me) took Brees with one of their first picks, Drew ended up settling down and finishing with a very impressive 4,423 yards. Look for both the Saints and Drew Brees to have a comeback year, and for Brees to have multiple 300-yard games, as well as multiple two or three-touchdown games this year.

If you're looking for a solid QB that will definitely give you the numbers you're expecting, Brees is the one.

5) Derek Anderson, Browns (A Little Gamble) - He went from the third-string QB on the Browns going into camp last year, to the fourth best (fantasy-wise) quarterback in football. Although there is a possibility of Derek going through a "sophomore slump" (see Young, Vince and Bush, Reggie), I do believe he can have a season that's around where he was last year.

A lot depends on the injury situation with Braylon Edwards (if your draft day isn't tomorrow, wait a little bit to see what happens with that), and if he is ready come opening day.

6) Carson Palmer, Bengals (Don't Overpay) - If you would have told me two years ago that I'd be giving Carson Palmer, the Heisman winner and incredible NFL QB, a "Don't Overpay" label, I'd simply laugh. However, I have to give this label to him.

First and foremost, T.J. Houshmandzadeh has some hamstring issues, and although he should be ready for the Bengals' first game, it will probably hold him back somewhat. Secondly, Chad Johnson is also hurt, but is also expected to play in the first game (however it isn't definite).

When you have the best two WRs on the team with some injury problems, you're likely not going to have an incredible year as a quarterback. I beg of you, please do not take Palmer in the first round. It just isn't worth it.

7) Eli Manning, Giants (A Little Gamble) - I was close to giving Manning a "Don't Overpay" label, however I decided not to do so, because I just have a great feeling about how Manning is going to perform this year. After a not-so-great regular season last year (23 TD/20 INT), he had pretty much a picture-perfect postseason.

If you thought that his performance last year was the best of his abilities, think again. All Eli needs is a little bit of confidence, and he can be one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

I feel crazy putting him all the way at No. 7, but I also don't think I could have gotten by putting him at a better rank, due to the fact that all the quarterbacks ahead of him on the list had much better regular seasons than him last year.

8) Ben Roethlisberger (A Little Gamble) - Big Ben has a very impressive season, getting 32 passing touchdowns, as well as 3,154 yards, and I expect him to have yet another solid season. However, his inconsistency throughout his career worries me, which is why I give him the "A little Gamble" label, as well as the ranking as the No. 8 quarterback on this list.

9) Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks (Don't Overpay) - Hasselbeck is a solid pick for a third to fifth-round selection (depending on the number of players in the draft), because there's a good chance he'll put up identical numbers to last year (4,000 Yards/28 TDs), or even better.

If Julius Jones or Maurice Morris can show some dominance, it will take a lot of the pressure off of Matt, likely increasing his chances of going above and beyond the his expectations.

10) Jay Cutler, Broncos (Don't Overpay) - This here is a pretty big risk if you take Cutler. I've seen him ranked all the way down at 19 on a top-quarterback list; however, I think he can have a good year. His inconsistent play last year was a little bit worrisome; however, he did finish with statistics that you could not argue with: 20 touchdown passes and 3,497 yards.

If you are looking for a second or third quarterback (and you already have a top QB, such as Romo or Brady) who may have a good season, but is a bit of a risk, don't think twice about taking Jay Cutler.

Running Backs

RBs are always key parts of good fantasy teams. No position is more valuable to a team than a running back. If you think you can have a good fantasy team without a top-10 running back, think again.

1) LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers (Sure Thing Pick) - LaDainian Tomlinson is everything you want and more from a running back. Although his production took a serious decline from his MVP year in 2006, he still had a solid season. If you have the first pick of a draft, there is nobody else you should take but LaDainian Tomlinson. Look for a season that is better than last year, with at least 20 touchdowns and a tad over 1,500 yards.

2) Adrian Peterson, Vikings (Probable) - Although Peterson had an incredible season last year (1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns, all while missing two games), I can't say I'm expecting a LaDainian Tomlinson-caliber year. I do think he'll do even better than last year and will be a great player for a fantasy team and a decent No.2 through No. 4 pick in a draft, I am just not 100 percent confident that he will be a star just yet.

3) Brian Westbrook, Eagles (Sure Thing Pick) - Although Westbrook got a better ranking than Peterson, he was dropped down to No. 3 on the list due to the fact that if Adrian Peterson does everything he can do, he will perform better than Westbrook.

However, I can guarantee you that a healthy Brian Westbrook will perform very well, and up to par with his very good season last year. Having Brian is like having another receiver on your team, while also having a rushing beast.

4) Clinton Portis, Redskins (A Little Gamble) - Putting Portis ahead of big-time running backs like Joseph Addai and Frank Gore was a tough assignment for me; however, I felt like it was necessary. After appearing to be finished in 2006, Portis had a breakout 2007 year: 1,262 yards and 11 touchdowns. Look for him to have another great year.

5) Joseph Addai, Colts (Probable) - Joseph Addai is an excellent running back to have as your No. 1, if you cannot get one of the top three. He has a very impressive 2007 season behind him and is looking to have another one. Addai could be better than two or even three of the running backs ahead of him on this list this season, and if he slips to the sixth or seventh pick, take him without a blink of your eye.

6) Ryan Grant, Packers (Probable) - After Ryan Grant took over the starting job in Green Bay in Week Six, he never looked back. One of his incredible accomplishments was rushing for 100-plus yards in five out of 10 weeks, as well as getting a touchdown in seven different games.

The reason Grant falls back so far is because of the change of offense, with Aaron Rodgers coming in. With a less confident Rodgers in, Grant will likely get more calls, and will also be focused on more by the defense than last year, where, if you put your eyes on him for a second, Brett Favre threw a 40-yard touchdown pass.

7) Steven Jackson, Rams (A Little Gamble) - After an injury-riddled, five-touchdown 2007 season, Jackson should have a bounce-back season, but it was pretty hard to put him higher than fifth on this list. If the offensive line for the St. Louis Rams can perform decently, look for Jackson to possibly have over 1,350 rushing yards and around 13 touchdowns.

8) Frank Gore, 49ers (OR) - If you ask me, Frank Gore is the most overrated running back that will appear on his list. However, due to everybody else saying he's a great running back, he has to be in my top 10. If the passing game continues to fail, the defense will continue to just pack it in on the line and stop Gore every time.

When you draft a running back, you need to be sure that he has a solid offensive line, as well as a good quarterback that will balance plays out. This is not the case of Frank Gore and his 49ers.

9) Larry Johnson, Chiefs (A Little Gamble) - Larry Johnson went from being the second-best running back in football in 2006 to the biggest bust in 2007. He disappointed every single owner and failed to get a touchdown in his first five games.

After finally getting on a roll, he broke a bone in his foot and was finished for the season in Week Nine, finishing with less than 600 yards. If you're looking to take a risk, Johnson isn't a bad choice, considering he has been an incredible running back in the past.

10) Marshawn Lynch, Bills (A Little Gamble) - If it hadn't been for the outstanding performances by Adrian Peterson last year, Lynch would have gotten all the attention. As a rookie, he had a stellar season, leading the Bills with 1,115 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. As a big risk-taker, I wouldn't be surprised if Lynch ends up on my team this year.

Wide Receivers

WRs are the third-most valuable positions in fantasy football. Although you can succeed without a top receiver, getting a good wide receiver is always a good decision. Never overpay for one, but if you see a star receiver around in the fourth round, don't hesitate to take him.

1) Randy Moss, Patriots (Sure Thing Pick) - Who can go wrong with a receiver coming off the best receiving year in football history? Taking Moss is a great choice, as he is likely to have another season with over 1,300 yards and 18 touchdown receptions.

2) Terrell Owens, Cowboys (Sure Thing Pick) - Terrell Owens, despite being one of the strangest players football has ever seen, is a must-have on a good fantasy team. Last year, he came out with one of his greatest seasons ever, and he doesn't look to be on any bit of a decline this year.

3) Braylon Edwards, Browns (Probable) - Braylon Edwards has turned into an elite receiver in the NFL and is a great player to have on your team—if he performs up to his abilities. A lot also lies on the shoulders of Derek Anderson, who's looking to have another good year taking snaps and throwing passes. If Anderson gives Edwards the ball enough, Edwards will be a top receiver to have.

4) Reggie Wayne, Colts (Probable) - After being Peyton's secondary receiver, Reggie Wayne has finally become the top option in the Colts' offense, after Marvin Harrison's performance has begun to decline. Wayne caught over 100 passes last year while getting 1,510 yards and 10 touchdowns. Wayne should be a solid player to have this year.

5) Andre Johnson, Texans (A Little Gamble) - Despite missing almost half of the season last year, Johnson had a Pro Bowl performance while healthy last season. He scored a touchdown in every game he played in but two, and finished with eight touchdowns. Not a bad first receiver to have on your team and a great second receiver to have on your team.

6) Steve Smith, Panthers (A Little Gamble) - Although Smith did not have a good year last year, it was not his fault. Because of the injury to Jake Delhomme, he was forced to be catching passes from the backup quarterback, David Carr, resulting in a subpar performance by Smith. If Delhomme stays healthy, look for a 2006 version of Steve Smith to return to form.

7) Plaxico Burress, Giants (A Little Gamble) - Although playing through an ankle injury throughout the season last year, Plaxico had a very good season last year. He finished with 12 touchdowns last season, and should get around that, if not more, this season (if he stays healthy).

8) Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (Probable) - Fitzgerald had a very good season last year, and earned a spot in the top 10. Although he is good enough to be ranked at No. 5, he falls so far down due to the fact that Kurt Warner is likely to have a season that won't impress too many, and Matt Leinart won't be too good either, if given the chance.

However, Larry is still a good player to have on your team, and showed that last year, when he got 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns.

9) Chad Johnson, Bengals (OR) - If there's any top-10 receiver you want to lay off of, it's definitely Chad Johnson. He's likely to have some lurking shoulder problems throughout the year (even if he plays the full 16 game season), and he just isn't as good as a lot of people say he is.

Although he did get over 1,400 yards last year, he got a not-so-great eight touchdowns, and is likely to have a season not as good as that.

10) T.J. Housmandzadeh, Bengals (Probable) - T.J got to work last year and put up some great numbers last year, while Johnson underperformed and ran his mouth all season. T.J. had a stellar season, finishing with 112 receptions, 1,143 yards, and 12 touchdowns. If you want a solid wide receiver that will definitely put up consistent numbers, T.J. is your guy.

Tight Ends

TEs are hard to get if you're looking for a good one. While you don't want to overpay for a guy like Gates (who will likely be taken way too early), you also don't want to end up with someone who can't do the job. A good team can easily succeed without someone on this list; however, it does help to have a good tight end.

1) Jason Witten, Cowboys (Sure Thing Pick) - Witten left an estimated 99 percent of fantasy owners last year with their eyes bulging and faces frozen in shock. Witten shocked the fantasy world by catching 96 passes and 1,145 receiving yards, while also getting seven touchdowns. If you're going to go out and take a tight end early, Jason is your man.

2) Antonio Gates, Chargers (Sure Thing Pick) - Antonio Gates is another guy that is just a great tight end every year. Although he had a back injury throughout the season, and toe surgery after the season, he ended up with another solid year for a tight end, getting nine touchdowns and receiving for 984 yards.

3) Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs (Probable) - Another consistent tight end, Tony Gonzalez put up solid numbers, yet again, for Kansas City last year, getting 1,172 receiving yards as well as scoring five touchdowns.

4) Kellen Winslow, Browns (Probable) - Winslow had an outbreak season last year, getting career highs in receiving yards and touchdowns. He finished the year with five touchdowns to go along with 1,106 receiving yards. He is yet another good tight end to have on your team. You can be confident with Kellen Winslow on your fantasy team.

5) Dallas Clark, Colts (Probable) - If you're looking for a big-touchdown player, Dallas Clark is your guy. Dallas was a big target of Peyton's last year and finished off the season with 11 touchdowns and 616 yards. Although he did not have a lot of receiving yards, he did have an incredible season when it came to touchdowns.

I'd like to thank you all for reading my Fantasy Football Draft Guide and may it be useful to you.

Exhibition Game To Kick Off Citi Field: Say What?

Tommy — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:33:08 -0400

According to the Providence Journal, the New York Mets are set to play their first ever game at Citi Field...as an exhibition.

The Red Sox will open up Citi Field in a two-game exhibition series over the final weekend of exhibition play.

The Mets have done plenty of things that have just blown my mind, but this one, to me, is the worst decision of all time. As a big New York Mets fan, as well as a proud attendee of five-straight Mets opening days, this announcement totally gets my excitement down as far as ambition to go to opening day.

Opening day will mean an enormous amount less to me, and any other Mets fan, because it just simply isn't what it was meant to be: The first game ever played at Citi Field.

Thinking about the incredible amount of money they will charge to see this "first game" (rather, exhibition game) ever played at Citi field makes me sick to my stomach.

This is just another flaw in a less-than-perfect Mets organization.

Have a concert, have a party, but don't have a damn baseball game right before the stadium opens. It just makes no sense.